


It Will Come Back

by TheMaskedViola



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, also dad caleb, im just love these characters, there may be more to come, werewolf Caleb, will update tags with later chapters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 08:46:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13520715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMaskedViola/pseuds/TheMaskedViola
Summary: Caleb learns the hard way it's nice to have friends watching your back when no one else will.





	It Will Come Back

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo I saw a lot of people making werewolf caleb fan theories so this is my take on the idea. Which, can I say, love that theory. Also love the father daughter dynamic the two of them have, so I wanted to focus on that a lot.
> 
> Might turn into Caleb/Fjord later. But we'll just have to see.

He was tired of waking up like this. The dirty, right feeling of dried mud, blood, and sweat stuck to the skin. The deep set exhaustion that radiated from the innermost core of his soul out to his fingertips. Though, he felt the worst part, the very worst part, was the feeling of being something else: something terribly not human.

  
There was a rustling next to him, something small approaching. Caleb was mostly conscious of the fact it was the little goblin girl who had been his companion, read: accomplice, and only friend in this strange land. Though, he reasoned that even if it was a hunter coming to finally bag a monster, he wasn't sure if he cared anymore.

  
"You alright, Caleb?" She sounded timid, she was always usually this way after a rough night.

  
He couldn't blame her. Currently he was laying naked and covered in blood on the forest floor, crystal blue eyes just staring at the overcast morning sky.

  
"Just fine, Nott." The lie was hollow, but he still made an effort to get up, bones creaking and snapping back into their original places again.

  
The small goblin held out his worn robes and a skein of water for him as well, patient as he took the time to dress and feel more human. That was hard with the layer of grime covering his body.

  
"So, what's on the agenda for today?" She tried to sound chipper, eager even.

  
"We shall get to the nearest town, find a job and hopefully get out with as much as we can carry before anyone realizes we were here."

  
"Sounds quite alright with me! Though, I hope there's time to stop in for a drink along the way?" Hope shone through that tiny, little voice.

  
Caleb gave a small nod, "Of course."

  
She gave a small exhale of relief. They had been traveling together now for a while, and Caleb could tell when his small companion was getting skittish. It wouldn't do either of them to be driven out of town any time soon, so if there was any way he could keep heads down and hands idle he'd do it.

  
And that worked for them. Mostly.

 

* * *

 

About four weeks later, even without counting, the ever-present threat loomed on the horizon. Caleb started becoming short, irritated. He spent longer reading and being locked in whatever inn they were staying in and less time amongst people. It was down to the last day when the feeling finally hit him.

Luckily they had been on the road and not in a large town when the human collapsed, scratching at his skin like he was trying to shed it off.

  
Nott tried to help him, calculating everything that could happen, but a lot of the times it was hard to focus when Caleb cried out as if he was going to die. The little goblin would never admit it to anyone, but she considered Caleb to be family, a father figure even. Right now she wished there was anything she could do to help ease his suffering, but instead she tried to soothe him as he changed under the light of a full moon.

  
The fur that grew thick on his skin was a deep reddish brown, sharp fangs growing from his gums as his own body remade itself. Soon all that was left of Caleb was the crystal blue eyes, piercing deep into the night. He would stay this way until sunrise, animal instincts telling him to hunt for prey. He gave in long ago and let the inner beast take control, around the same time he accepted that he would always be a monster; a thing from scary stories that mothers tell children to get them to behave. He would never be accepted, and that's the way things were.

  
Sometimes Caleb would black out during the nights he became a beast, leaving the gruesome details of why he woke up next to a gutted sheep in the dark, but something about tonight made him stay alert. Soon, he would find he had reason to stay on his toes.

  
There it was. A large, silver beast, twice the size of Caleb, even in this form. It was bent over something, snapping its jaws loudly as it tore into its prey. Inching forward, the smell of death hit his nose, mouth watering even as his human instinct was to vomit.

  
The beast turned around then, showing its teeth in a show of dominance. Caleb bristled uncontrollably, standing his ground. The pristine white-silver fur around the other wolf's maw was soaked with blood, yet Caleb made no move or show of submission.

  
Like a bullet, the wolf was on him, strong jaw snapping at his neck. He barely had time to react before the ripping fangs found purchase, sinking into one of his haunches. He yelped as the creature effortlessly threw him, landing in a shallow field of mud with a pained cry.

  
That didn't stop the great wolf, however, taking the opportunity to pin him on his back, dangerous fangs reaching for his exposed throat.

  
This was how it ended, he thought regretfully. Alone in a puddle of mud with his throat ripped out. He supposed there were worse ways to die. At least finally the beast would be put down.

  
A jingle of bells and a relief of pressure were the next things he experienced as the great wolf turned its attention elsewhere, finding new, more interesting prey.

  
Caleb slowly got up, still whimpering, as a familiar shape popped into view.

  
"Caleb! Bloody hell, I'm glad you're alright. Come on, we gotta go before that thing realizes it's been tricked!" Nott sounded slightly out of breath, but relieved to see her friend.

  
Caleb obediently fights for self control enough to let her on his back as he begins to run down the path towards their destination again.

  
It's early morning when they finally make it to a hotel, Caleb barely alive enough to stumble in to the room and crash on the bed. He looks up to Nott as she's tucking the blankets around his shivering form. As she's about to walk away, she feels a rough hand against her shoulder. Looking up, Nott is surprised to see a small, tired smile on Caleb's lips.

  
"Danke, meine Tochter." The hand slumps and falls down next to the bed as he closes his eyes in exhaustion.

  
Nott isn't too sure of what he said, but she feels, not for the first time, that she's at home.


End file.
